Of Villainy and Heroics
by EnvySkort
Summary: The world of villainy is one Jack yearns to enter, but will a mission from Chase Young steer him away from it? Is he willing to destroy the foundation of his livelihood for the title of villain?
1. Chapter 1

Jack could hear the gears in his heli-pack straining as he scaled the foreboding summit which cradled his idol's palace in its menacing peak. He felt weighed down, mentally. The swirling emotions of shame, fear, and a seething bitterness bred a monstrous tempest in the recesses of his mind. Yet, with another defeat at the hands of the Xiaolin monks, that tempest was gradually destroying him inside.

He was tired of it. He was tired of losing. He was tired of the insults flung at his back like knives. But even then, the emotional pain the Xiaolin monks caused paled in comparison to the pain that….. _he_….. caused.

Jack shuddered. Visibly.

He was now standing before _his_ door. His mind flared, and he suddenly wished that he wasn't standing there, that he didn't even _exist_.

That was the power, the authority, the control that Chase Young had over him. Even through that heavy iron door, out on this cold, barren ledge, Jack could feel Chase's malicious aura. True, he idolized the warrior, but something inside him always felt like it was being constricted.

His pride, perhaps?

His sanity? Maybe.

Either way, the more he served Chase, the more he began noticing that his own sense of self was being eclipsed by an almost palpable fear. Chase had a regal, prideful air about him, but that was nothing compared to the evil aura which poured off of him like fog. It was like stepping into nerve gas, but instead of constricting your muscles and causing agony, Chase's aura more or less surrounded you, made you sweat, and then clawed apart your very soul. His eyes contained a cold, piercing hatred which froze you in your tracks and burned you from the inside out. His voice dripped with poisonous loathing, yet it was calm to the point where, no matter what he said, any word felt cold.

And here Jack was, at this entity's doorstep.

Here he was to say, for the umpteenth time, that he'd lost.

Here he was to be suffocated once more by that poisonous hatred.

"I know you are there, insect."

Jack could feel Chase's hatred radiate through the door, and his voice sent uncomfortable chills down his spine. His body began shaking as the heavy iron door creaked open, and he numbly stepped within.

Chase was more than 50 feet away from him, clothed by the drapery of darkness which clung to the citadel's interior, but Jack could feel his anger, his disgust, and his loathing… He did not feel safe in the slightest.

"Well?"

Jack felt so cold he couldn't speak. He could just barely manage a whisper. "I-"

"You lost."

Jack could literally feel himself falling apart at the seams. He wanted to run. He wanted to get out of there… To disappear.

"You always… Lose." The last words rolled off of the warrior's tongue like a curse, and he slowly turned his burning amber eyes upon the trembling boy genius. "Whenever you come to me…" He began walking toward his lackey, ignoring the fact that Jack's already pale face was becoming paler by the second. "…With that pathetic look on your face…." His voice growled low, mirroring the predatory glare in his eyes. "It is always because…" He stopped only a few inches from Jack, who had fallen to the ground and all but curled into a simpering ball. "You lost." He was normally indifferent towards his younger henchman, but with all of the recent losses adding up, Chase was swiftly losing the iota of patience with Jack that he had left. "Look at me." He practically hissed, to which Jack reluctantly obeyed. "You wish to become a great villain, correct?"

"… Y-Yes…"

Chase's voice had calmed down a bit, but still retained its icy bite. "A true villain succumbs to failure, it is true… But he also knows how to do away with the factors that caused it."

Jack came out of his ball somewhat. "Wh-What?" He peeked timidly up at the looming form of his superior, but out of the corner of his eye he caught the sharp glint of metal. With a yelp, he rolled out of the way just as Chase drove the jagged blade of a sword into the ground where Jack had lay only a few seconds before. He looked at the sword, and then back up at Chase who was now standing with his arms folded. A steely glare shone in the dragon's eyes.

"Many of the warriors I have defeated in my time used archaic weapons such as these in an effort to defeat me," Chase purred. "As you know, I turned those warriors into my… Pets.. Their weapons serve no purpose to them now, nor do I have any use for them. However, I hold onto these weapons to show my adversaries how many types of these primitive implements have utterly failed against me."

Jack gulped and inspected the sword. Keepsake or not, Chase took great care of it. The metal was smooth and almost glowed with radiance, and the handle itself had been painstakingly polished. "S-So… What do I do with this…?"

"Simple." The icy, biting tone appeared in Chase's voice once more. "You are going to do away with the factors which are causing you to fail."

Jack thought for a while, trying to grasp what it was that Chase was hinting about. Mustering up his courage, Jack brought his eyes to meet with Chase's to search them for an answer… Chase allowed this, his glare cold, unwavering, and dead serious. What was it in this dragon's eyes at this point in time that was making Jack so… Uneasy…? He played Chase's words in his head over and over again, looking at the sword as he desperately sought an answer…

The sword clattered to the ground, its sharp sound echoing within the lonely citadel.

Jack's hands shook.

His body had completely gone numb.

With a cold smirk, Chase turned from his lackey and began to walk away. "You understand. Good. This is your next step toward becoming a great villain, worm. Prove yourself to me."

Jack couldn't even look at the sword. "But, I….. I can't do that, Chase-" In an instant, Chase was upon him, holding him single-handedly in the air by the front of his coat. Even his instinctive yelp fell silent before Chase's rage-filled glare.

"I did not ask you to carry out this mission, worm, I told you to do it," he hissed. "You are to eliminate that which is holding you back. You are a disgrace, and they prove it to me on countless occasions. You cannot beat them, therefore, you will destroy them." With Jack still in his grip, Chase made his way out to the ledge and held the boy over the abyss below. "Destroy them. They are a nuisance to me, just like you are. However, you will redeem yourself in my eyes if you complete this task. But until then… You are nothing to me." He released his grip and watched the boy plummet through the storm clouds, only to rise through them on his heli-pack. "Return to me with blood on that sword. If you fail this time, it will be your last."

Jack's heart was pounding up in his ears. He glanced at the sword clenched in his hands and suddenly felt sick and numb. When he was sure he was out of Chase's glaring range, Jack alighted upon a lower mountain ledge and collapsed to his knees. He stared down at the dirt, digging his fingers into the soil as he balled them into fists. Tears began stinging his eyes and though he tried to fight them, they betrayed his pride, rolling down his pale cheeks and into the dirt. "But I can't…." He choked out to himself. 'If… If this is what it takes to become a great villain…. A villain like him…'

Over and over, Jack played the budding scenario in his mind.

Over and over, the thought of this mission stabbed his heart like a knife.

Over and over, he repeated "but I can't" as though it were a mantra.

And then, nothing.

He froze, slowly raising his head to look off into the distance.

But a new look adorned his face. His brilliant ruby eyes shone with intent, completely devoid of the pitiful tears they'd been filled with only moments ago. His face was set as though he were face to face with an inescapable destiny; a foreign air of malicious confidence breathed life into his otherwise frail, unthreatening body. He snatched up the sword, pressing a button on his heli-pack strap.

"Jack Bots, converge on my position."

In no time flat, a veritable cloud of the malicious robots, headed by Jack himself, was gradually making its way toward the Xiaolin temple. Jack's new sword gleamed like a harbinger of death in the milky moonlight.


	2. Chapter 2

Omi had always been somewhat of a busy body. New things interested him, new people interested him. Here and there, whenever and wherever there was something to be discovered or learned, Omi was the first one there.

But today, he was a busy body for a new reason. Before the other apprentices had shown up, Omi spent most of his time honing his own skills and meditating. As a result, he was almost always in tune with everything around him; the temple, his friends, even their territory.

But something was amiss.

He'd been spending the last hour or so trying to find his center in his meditation, but his effort was in vain. He couldn't concentrate, not in the slightest. One eye opened, and an exasperated sigh rushed from his lips as his shoulders, calm and weightless only a few moments ago, suddenly carried a biting, heavy tension.

His eyes darted around the room. It was quiet today, and normally he welcomed it. But today, the quiet was causing the air to be still, as though all life around him was becoming paralyzed.

He didn't like this feeling one bit.

He stood slowly so as not to make a sound, closing his eyes to listen for something. Anything.

Moments went by, and Omi remained still.

Footsteps were approaching; three sets of them to be correct. Closer and closer they came, but he drowned them out as he once again tried to establish a mental connection to his surroundings. The door to his room opened, and it was Raimundo who spoke first. "Hey Omi-"

A tiny hand rose, requesting immediate silence. Omi didn't turn back to face his friends as they regarded him quizzically. "Something in the air….. Disturbs my senses, my friends…"

Raimundo smirked and whispered to Kimiko with a nudge. "Maybe he pooted." Kimiko only rolled her eyes and knelt beside the young monk.

"What is it, Omi?" She said softly.

"Stillness." Omi said slowly. He didn't like this feeling at all. He was starting to feel uncomfortable.

"Joking aside," Rai said, "we were coming to tell you the same thing. It was Clay who felt it before me and Kimiko."

Clay only nodded, and even under his hat and his mess of tawny blonde hair, the boy looked uncharacteristically uneasy. "I knew you'd feel it too, Omi… I don't like this one bit. I was gonna go to Master Fung, but him and Dojo went out to gather more supplies for the temple." Even his voice betrayed his usual brave, level-headed composure; it was evident that the stillness was wearing on his senses as well.

Kimiko and Rai surveyed their friends concernedly and looked at each other. They weren't as in tune with nature as Clay and Omi, but either way their anxiousness was infectious. When Omi worried, it was bad. When Clay and Omi worried, it was worse. Kimiko made her way outside and surveyed the temple territory like a hawk, looking for anything suspicious. But then, her gut told her to turn around.

In her gut, she could sense that something was coming.

Warily, she turned in the direction the feeling was coming from..

"What the heck.." Raimundo was making his way out to her, followed by Clay and Omi. They all saw what looked like smoke rising from the horizon. Rai squinted his eyes, concentrating on the faint noise reaching his ears. "Does anyone else…. Hear that humming noise…?"

"I hear it Rai…" Clay said slowly. "And it's getting louder…"

"You mean to say," Omi said, "it is getting closer."

Rai squinted again as he tried to distinguish what it was that was heading for them. But one of the many wonderful things about him was that he had almost uncanny reflexes, which was shown as a glaring red lazer sliced through the night straight at his teammates. In almost no time flat, Rai's body sprung back, switched up his footing, and threw his weight upon Clay, pushing him out of the way just as the lazer burned a hole through the Texan's hat.

"Gosh darn it, that was my favorite hat," Clay frowned, helping Rai to his feet.

"Dude, you've got, like, seven."

"You got lucky there Clay. The next one won't miss." The monks looked up as an ominous figure emerged from the humming cloud of Jack bots above them. Ruby eyes narrowed, the thin mouth pressed tightly into an emotionless flat line. Shoulders that were normally hunched were now rigid, and his hands were balled into tight fists.

"Jack Spicer," Omi said softly as he and his apprentices shifted into their battle formation. "Leave it to your presence to ruin my daily meditation." His eye twitched; what was with that strange, almost unnerving look on Jack's face? That uneasy feeling was creeping up his spine again. Jack's eyes were…. Different.

"Eh, let's not complain Omi," Rai said with a smirk, "it was getting kinda boring around here today anyway. Pounding girly boy's robots is just as good of a stress reliever as meditation, if not better."

"Gonna have to agree with you, partner," Clay affirmed, cracking his knuckles.

"You're wasting your time here, Jack," Kimiko smirked. "This will just be another loss under your belt this week." As she got into her fighting stance, she couldn't help but notice a flicker of rage in Spicer's eyes. 'Why's he being so weird today… I mean, he's weird normally but now… Even more so…'

Keeping his eyes locked on his opponents, Jack raised a hand into the air. "I'll only say this once. I'm not losing. Not anymore." Omi felt his heart skip. That tone in Jack's voice… That cold, bitter, poisonous tone… What was going on..? "Jack bots, attack!" In an instant, the hundreds of robots rushed forth, filling the night sky with the cold glow of metal.

Immediately, the Xiaolin monks took to the malicious robots. The night became filled with the sounds of the scuffle; swift, well-planned footwork, yells of pain and success, the grating sound of cleaving metal, and explosions painted a picture of the intense battle, possibly one of the most intense battles they'd had with the self-proclaimed boy genius.

The air chilled as Omi unleashed an ice blast from the Orb of Tornami, sending water droplets and ice fragments into the air as the devastating blast froze the robots in their tracks. Thick sheets of merciless ice coated them, and those that didn't plummet and shatter were demolished by Omi's almost artistic martial arts. One would never assume, at a glance, that one so small could be so lethal. But it was that assumption by his opponents that always worked to Omi's advantage.

Brilliant streams of fire illuminated the velvet sky as Kimiko commanded the Star Hanabi. The air filled with the scent of burning oil and exhaust as the robots burned and exploded. With Kimiko in control, the Star Hanabi's flames seemed to dance, courting their opponents with their destructive force and leaving only ash in their wake.

The Sword of Storms gleamed within Raimundo's able hands. With one quick movement of his arm, the Wu sprang to life and spawned a great typhoon on the spot. The gale force winds practically stripped the metal off of the robots they swallowed, while their projectile debris reduced nearby robots to lifeless scrap.

Nimble gloved fingers gripped the Big Bang Meteorang, and, rearing back with all of his might, Clay launched it into the sky. It cleaved its way through the cloud of metal menaces, sending them plummeting to the ground below. The Texan smirked; now it was his turn. He rose one powerful leg and drove it into the ground as a Seismic Kick. As if on cue, huge slabs of earth lifted into the sky, smashing the plummeting robots with great force.

Jack had anticipated this. The Xiaolin monks usually made short work of his Jack bots, and seeing as they were done destroying more than 2/3 of them, this was normally the point when he'd start to panic.

But not tonight.

The sky rained the metal carnage of his fallen robots, and yet he remained.

He watched. Waited.

The last bot fell, its head unceremoniously crushed beneath Clay's foot as the monks grouped together. Jack narrowed his eyes and studied them.

They were winded. He smirked.

"Well Jack," Raimundo grinned, trying to mask his fatigue, "as much as we love having this random exercise session, we kinda finished off your army of friends here." He kicked a dismembered arm at Jack's feet. His eye twitched; Jack barely seemed to notice.

"I'll offer my congratulations later," Jack said quietly. "That was only round one." He pressed a button on his chest strap.

Omi tensed; the scraps of metal before him began to budge. He and his apprentices shared a mutual gasp of disbelief as, before their very eyes, the Jack bots began reassembling themselves. The dragon of water stood petrified, his eyes never pulling away from the swirling cloud of reanimating metal scraps. "What… Sorcery is this…?"

"No sorcery Omi. Just my newest versions, made especially for all of you."

"Wow, I feel so special," Kimiko said sarcastically, though it didn't help to mask the worry in her voice.

"And you should," Jack said coldly. "They're a pain to make, but I wanted to save them for a special occasion." His voice lowered. "And this is about as special as it gets."

"Tarnation," Clay said breathlessly, taking a step back. The Xiaolin monks stared in awe and disbelief as the regenerated robot army hummed back to life. A thousand glowing red eyes burned through the dark; they were no more robots than they were savage undead warriors. "Spicer, you twisted son of a-" Clay never finished his sentence. The robots poured from the sky like rain, and once again the battle exploded into life.

Time and time again, Jack watched as his robots fell in battle, only to rise again at his command.

Time and time again, cries of fatigue and frustration filled the air.

Attacks and martial arts which were once well-planned and artistic were now sloppy, weighed down, and sluggish. The battle seemed to drag itself through the dirt as it continued, and Jack watched with steely eyes as the proud, successful Xiaolin warriors were now practically yielding to his might. Soon, one by one, they collapsed from exhaustion.

Except Omi…

It was always Omi.

The small monk panted heavily, his shoulders hunched, and sweat dripped freely from his face. He was so tired he could barely see straight, and his legs threatened to buckle beneath him. However, the knowledge that his friends had fallen only justified that he'd have to remain standing; he'd have to protect them at any cost…

But… Protect them from Jack…?

The monk narrowed his eyes. Jack began to approach him, and a ring of Jack bots was closing in around him and his friends.

"Well, Omi? Say it. Say that I've won, since your friends can't."

Omi didn't like that tone in Jack's voice. It was cold… His whole persona was cold.. "You reek of Chase Young's influence, Jack Spicer… You may have won against us…" His eyes began to waver… "But against him… You will always…. Lose… You are his puppet, nothing more…"

And then, the final monk fell, swallowed by numbing darkness and silence.

Jack eyed Omi's unconscious form in silence. His fists shook with undeniable anger, and heat rose into his pale cheeks. "Jack bots, gather them up and take them." He stood for a moment, watching the vanishing forms of his robots and silently playing Omi's words in his mind. His eyes softened, and a single tear fell to the ground.

Omi was right.


	3. Chapter 3

The world swam in a murky swirl of faded light, throbbing pain, and muted sound. Omi distinctly heard himself groan; his head weighed a ton and his body felt as though it were moving in slow motion.

His vision was slowly beginning to clear..

He was in a room, a strange one at that.

Wires ran like multicolored blood vessels along the floor and walls, and the air itself was live with kinetic energy. The hum of well-tended machinery droned in different frequencies all around him, and the ethereal glow of dozens of computer and television screens bathed him in muted light. The air had the faint scent of oil and exhaust, but not enough to be suffocating. He faced toward the darker edge of the room, and an icy feeling crawled up his spine. He narrowed his eyes.

Someone was there…

Watching… Waiting…

Out of the corners of his eyes, Omi spotted his friends, and then surveyed his own personal surroundings. He, along with his friends, was in a large cage, one built into the wall of this dreary place. He sighed a breath of relief as they began to regain consciousness, making his way over to them. "My friends… It appears we may have been taking captive. These grounds are strange and unfamiliar to me." He only got groans and shuffles as a response, but Rai was the first to get to his feet.

"Well wherever we are," he said, rubbing his head, "let's leave. This place is giving me the creeps." He walked up to the bars of the cage, but as soon as his skin came into contact with them, and electric current ravaged his body and sent him flying back into the wall.

"What the heck…" Kimiko helped Rai to his feet with the assistance of a still woozy Clay. "Well, obviously whoever brought us here wants us to stay here…" She glanced over at Omi, who seemed to be concentrating on the dark portion of the room. "O-Omi…?"

"What do you see, Omi?" Clay asked, making his way over to the small monk. He didn't answer. Clay didn't ask why; he felt someone was there as well, and joined Omi in glaring into the darkness. "We know you're there. Come out."

There was a slight shuffle of clothing, followed by slow, concentrated footsteps coming toward them. Inch by inch, the figure became distinguishable, and mutual grimaces spread across the faces of the Xiaolin monks. "Jack, you bastard," Rai hissed. "Let us out of here, now!!"

Jack stopped not far from the cage, still shrouded in darkness. "The last time I checked, Raimundo," his voice whispered, "you weren't in control here." He held up a small remote and pressed a button. Only a split second later, electricity crackled across the metal floor of the cage and through the bodies of the monks.

"W-Why…. Are you doing this, Jack…?" Omi said breathlessly, his small body still trembling. In only a few steps, Jack loomed before the cage, and despite the fact that his body was blocking the pale light, his eyes burned ferociously.

"Why, Omi?" His voice was low, almost eerily inaudible. "Why?" He knelt so that his eyes met with Omi's. The young monk tensed; Jack had changed more than he thought. The ruby eyes, once filled with childish arrogance, were now voids of crimson loathing. "Because I'm tired of being disgusted with myself." His voice trembled, and he ran his fingers through his hair. "It doesn't matter what happens… I'm always insulted… Beaten…. And forgotten." A crazed look glowed in his eyes. "But not anymore; I won't lose anymore… Not to you, not to anyone…"

"Except to him, and you know it."

Jack's mouth twitched, glaring death at Omi. The young monk only stared back defiantly. "Shut up, Omi," Jack seethed.

"It pains me to see it, but I do, Jack… You are Chase Young's puppet, more of a lowly henchman than a partner. You fight us, you do his bidding, but he is never pleased. You worship that foul beast like a god."

"Shut up…" Anger was mounting in the youth's voice.

"You don't even live for yourself anymore, Jack!" Omi pressed angrily, his fists shaking with frustration and grief. "I have watched as he put more and more "apprentices" before you, even myself! He suffocates your spirit, inhibits your sense of self…. And in the blink of an eye, you become expendable to him… You are worthless to yourself, just as you are to him…" Jack looked as though he were going to explode. "You serve him because you feel worthless."

"Shut up, Omi, shut UP!!"

"I won't!! For years we have been enemies, Jack, and despite your defeats, despite your girlish screams, I respected you! And even when I…" His voice broke as renegade tears of frustration formed in his eyes. "Even when you were my apprentice… I saw your potential…. And I respected and appreciated your company, your presence… I wanted to trust you, Jack…"

"I said shut up!!" Jack pressed another button and three bars disappeared from the cage. With almost uncanny swiftness, Jack shot an arm into the cage, grabbed Omi, and flung him to the ground before him. He pressed the button once more and the bars restored themselves just as he pounced upon the young monk.

"Omi!" Clay yelled, gripping his fists together. "Damn you, Jack!"

"I swear, when we get out of here…." Kimiko growled low, her voice wavering with unmistakable rage.

Omi glared calmly up at Jack, whose eyes were now burning with malice. He perched over Omi's body like a predator, reaching back and drawing the sword Chase had given to him. In the metal's cold reflection of pale light, Jack saw Chase's face. With a sadistic grin, he slowly turned his eyes back to Omi and raised the sword high. "What's wrong, Omi? No more pretty philosophical words for me?"

Omi only stared darkly at him. "I have no hope in convincing you anymore; you are too busy being ruled by the mandates of that monster-" His eyes shot open as Jack's hand clenched tightly around his neck. "J-Jack…!!"

"You don't get it, do you?" Spicer said acidly, raising the sword so that Omi could see the fear on his own face. "I'm done with being a half-baked villain. I'm done with everything, but I'm tired of being nothing. I'm worthless to you, I'm worthless to the world…. But that's going to change; I can redeem myself with this, this one task will make me visible again…"

He looked deep into the monk's trembling eyes, and adrenaline charged its way through Jack's nerves.

'Make me….. Visible….'

He replayed his words through his mind once again, his heart pounding feverishly up against his ribs.

'Visible…. To who..? To him….?'

His grip tightened. The other Xiaolin monks were yelling and clamoring behind him, but he couldn't make out their words.

'Shut up…. I'm going to do this…'

Jack didn't know if he was talking to the warriors or himself anymore. But then again, he couldn't find it in him to care.

'I'm going to kill them, all of them…. Then, he'll-"

Jack froze; realization swam over him like boiling water.

'Kill them….. If I do that….'

His eyes wavered.

'If I do that….'

He was grappling with something inside of him, something deep inside, telling him to stop. Telling him to wait. To think… With an agonized yell and his eyes locked on Omi's, with all of his strength, Jack drove the sword down.

Raimundo's voice came like a shot in the dark. "OMI!!!"


	4. Chapter 4

Omi's eyes were wide open, his breath caught in his chest. His body refused to move. He couldn't speak, couldn't hear… All he could comprehend was the shining metal of the sword jammed hard into the cold ground only inches from his face.

His eyes slowly traveled up Jack's trembling arm and came to rest on his eyes. Omi felt a wave of sorrow rush through his body; the depth of frustration, anger, and shame was all too apparent in those ruby eyes.

"J-Jack…." Omi's voice came out small, almost inaudible. He wasn't sure if his enemy had heard him or if he was even listening. "Jack…" He slowly maneuvered himself out from under Jack's form and knelt before him.

Two tears fell, and black clad shoulders shuddered as Jack's head lowered. "I can't do it……. I can't…"

Raimundo let out a deep breath of relief; he would have lost it and killed Jack himself if the sword would have injured Omi. He couldn't help but glare death at the self-proclaimed boy genius. "Good, Omi's alright," he whispered to an equally relieved Clay and Kimiko. "Jack's cowardice has finally paid off in our favor." Kimiko smirked, but Clay was silent. The Texan kept his eyes on Jack, his hands balling into fists so tight that his knuckles drained of color.

Omi felt a saddening combination of pity and empathy. True, he was more than grateful to still be alive, but… Seeing Jack in such a pathetic state was tugging at his conscience. With a sigh, he scooted closer to Jack and knelt down. "There is so much pain in your eyes, Jack……… Please…. Let me help you…."

"Omi what are you doing?" Kimiko said, her eyebrows furrowed. "Get us out of here before he changes his mind; he was going to-"

"I said I couldn't." Jack's voice came low. "I…. I couldn't have done it…. If… If I would have…. I would have given Chase what he wanted…"

"But doesn't that make you happy?" Clay said darkly. "Isn't that what makes your life worth living?"

"My life would have ended, too." Everyone fell silent, their eyes resting confusedly upon the boy genius. "He wants…. My life to end…"

"I don't follow," Rai said suspiciously.

"You guys are my life," Jack said in a quiet voice. "Don't you understand…? Ever since our first battle… I constructed my livelihood around you guys…. I wanted to build better robots, come up with better one-liners… After a while, I…. I started looking forward to our battles… Losing was hard, but I always felt the need to try harder and harder…." He looked down at his hands. "I put so much effort into trying to make myself visible to Chase that I forgot who I became visible to in the first place… By killing you… I would have erased all of those great experiences… Without you guys, I'm nothing… And he knew that. He wanted me to know and feel that I was worthless."

Omi didn't know what to say. The others were equally silent; did they really mean so much to him that they kept him grounded in sanity, in reality? Omi timidly reached a hand toward Jack. He silently wished that he could do something, anything, to relieve the turmoil his enemy was suffering from. In all of this time, Omi never would have guessed that this was what it was like to be Jack Spicer; to spend so much time proving to others that you exist that, in time, you lose your own will partway through. "Jack, I-" His hand was harshly slapped away.

"Get out of here," Jack hissed. "All of you… You need to leave." He rose to his feet, pressing a button on the remote. The cage bars disappeared.

"What is going on?" Omi inquired, making his way over to his friends.

"Before you woke up….. I called Chase on my video phone and told him to come here," Jack said. "He'll be over here any minute to watch me murder all of you-"

Clay was upon Jack in only three steps. He slammed Jack into a wall, holding the scrawny, terrified youth by his neck. He choked a bit, grabbing onto Clay's hands. "Double crossin' sidewinder!!" Clay growled viciously. "All you're doing with this emotional outburst of yours is stallin' for time! You set this up, didn't you?!"

"Put him down, Clay," Kimiko said, casting a glare at Jack as Clay roughly released him. "If Chase really is on his way, we don't have time to waste on Jack."

Clay stepped away from Jack, keeping his eyes locked on him. "If you ever try anything like this again, Spicer…"

Omi opened his mouth to protest his friends' actions, but an uncomfortable cold feeling shrouded the room. Everyone went quiet. A look of panic shone in Jack's eyes, and as he looked at Omi, he could tell the young monk felt it too. Without a word, Jack rushed over to his personal Shen Gong Wu vault and quickly pulled out the Shroud of Shadows, thrusting it into Omi's arms and herding the other warriors into a dark corner. "Jack, what are-"

"I'm saving your lives," Jack said quietly. "If he finds out you're still alive… Or that you're still here… He'll kill you. I can't let that happen."

"How are we so sure we can trust you when you've doublecrossed us dozens of times before?" Rai said acidly.

A look of shame came across Jack's face. "I know that… But I don't want to see you guys die…. You're all I've got…" He glanced at Omi. "Plus…. Out of all of the people I've known… You're the only ones to make me feel visible." Omi's eyes widened, but before he could say anything, Jack activated the Shroud of Shadows and lowered it over the four of them.

"What do we do, Omi?" Clay whispered.

"We trust him…. I know I do….." Omi felt positively helpless as he surveyed the look of utter terror on Jack's anxious face, but against Chase Young in a place like this, their best bet was to follow Jack's plan.

Jack felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and suddenly, he felt that same foreboding presence that to this day paralyzed him with fear. He knew that _he_ was there, eyeing him like a hawk with those piercing reptilian eyes. Jack drew in a deep breath, mustering up his steadily declining courage and turning to stare at the darkened hallway from which this evil energy was emanating. A pair of demonic eyes burned in the darkness like embers and, slowly, they began to approach. Jack gulped; as Chase's sleek form melted through the shadows, he suddenly felt as though he were being stalked, especially as the warrior began pacing around him.

Each step seemed calculated…. Predatory….

Those eyes… They never left Jack, not even for a second.

"Well?" Chase's voice purred. "Where are they, Spicer?"

Jack was frightened beyond belief… He wanted to disappear, anything to get away from those burning eyes. He felt a rush of cold wind, and before he could even flinch, a hand sharply came across his face, knocking him off of his feet. Chase loomed over him, then roughly grabbed his neck.

"Didn't I ask you a question, worm?" Jack winced, but turned his face away. Chase narrowed his eyes. "You dare defy me?" Jack's eyes shot open as Chase's free hand shot forward, striking his sternum with uncanny force. He bit back a whimper, gritting his teeth tightly together.

"They're…. N-Not here…" Chase dropped him roughly, and the boy curled into a ball as he struggled to breathe through the searing pain in his chest.

"Then where are they?" The words came out slowly. Jack was almost too petrified to answer.

"I let them go." Jack let out a strangled cough, raising his head to look at Chase. "I'd never do something like that to them. If I killed them… I may as well have killed myself-" Chase made a swift movement, and the next thing Jack knew, he was on his back and the pain in his chest had tripled. He winced as Chase's boot stomped onto his sternum, gradually applying pressure.

"One simple task, worm. That was what I asked of you…." He harshly yanked the sword he'd given to Jack out of the ground, surveying the smooth, clean metal affectionately. "I gave you a chance… And in the time I allowed for you to alleviate your shameful level of worthlessness, you attached your futile emotions to your prey when all it would have taken is one clean swipe." As quick as a serpent, Chase sliced the sword across Jack's front. The boy let out a yelp; the sheer speed had torn through his jacket and his undershirt. "But I digress… This place is far too small for me to properly teach you a lesson in following my orders." He snapped his fingers and, instantly, two large panthers slunk from the shadows, grabbing each of Jack's arms in their jaws and walking out into the night. Chase stayed behind, and a smirk came upon his face. "If you wish to protect him, Come and get him from me."

In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Omi flung the Shroud of Shadows off of himself and his teammates, falling to his knees and pounding the ground with a fist. "Curse him!!..." He looked at his friends with worried eyes. "We must… We must save Jack…. There is no telling what Chase will do to him if we don't…"

The question of "why" lingered silently in the air like translucent fog, but it soon faded as the monks figured it would be unfair to simply do nothing.

"Omi's right," Kimiko said. "Jack's been our enemy for so long, and every time we've tried to trust him, he's betrayed us… But today…. He could have killed Omi, but he didn't… He could have sold us out to Chase, but he didn't. We owe him, double time."

Clay ran his fingers across the brim of his hat with a grimace. "I gotta admit…. I'd feel like a heel if we didn't help him out. It undermines the idea of justice if we're selective about it."

"Problem though," Rai said. "I'm all for helping Jack out this once, but even so, what about Chase? He knew we were here, you guys, so for all we know, he's using our sympathy for Jack to lure us into a trap."

"Even so," Omi snapped, "we must try. I refuse to do nothing. He may be our enemy, but no one deserves to suffer so much at the hands of Chase young." He began making his way out of the room with his friends close behind. "I am going to go to his aid, but I must return to the temple for a brief moment to pick up more Shen Gong Wu in case it is a trap. You do not have to come with me." With that, Omi sprinted off in the direction of the temple with Rai, Kimiko, and Clay bringing up the rear. The three of them held a silent conversation with their eyes…. Was Jack really worth risking their lives for?


	5. Chapter 5

Jack's world slowly swirled into focus as he regained consciousness. His wrists were sore and his muscles ached; he discovered that he'd been bound by tightly tied ropes. He was laying on his side on the cold ground, and with a pained grunt, turned himself to look at his surroundings. The air smelled wet, damp, and tasted stale… He could make out a faint light not too far from him, and could just barely see a figure standing within it…

"You know," a voice hissed. Jack's head was pounding, and before he knew it the figure he thought he saw disappeared. Instead, he could hear slow, concentrated footsteps… "For one as worthless as yourself… You become useful at the oddest moments…" It was Chase… Jack would know that cold, emotionless voice anywhere… As well as those predatory footsteps… The circling, pacing, stalking footsteps that, to this day, made him shiver. "Pick him up."

Jack's body still felt as though it were stuck in slow motion. He heard more footsteps, heavy ones, approaching, and soon afterwards, both arms were captured into vice-like grips. He sluggishly looked from side to side. As he thought, it was two of Chase's "pets" in their long-lost human forms. Their skin was gray, cold, and foul, and dark rings encircled their sunken in eyes. He winced; their eyes lacked the shine which once made them warriors…

The shine which Chase had robbed from them….

"Do you know why you've become useful to me, worm?" Jack shuddered; the voice came from behind him. He felt a swift rush of wind, and through squinted eyelids, the dark, smirking face of Chase Young stood only inches from his own. Jack bit back a gasp; those eyes…. It felt like his soul were being burnt from the inside out. "I'll tell you why." A gloved hand harshly gripped his face, applying unrelenting pressure to his jaw. "You are going to lure the Xiaolin monks right to me, and I'll destroy them once and for all."

Jack yanked his face away. "Good luck," he growled defiantly, his eyes downcast. "They won't come for me. I've tricked them so many times, they'd be stupid to come to my rescue."

An acidic laugh echoed through the cave. "That's just it, Spicer. More often than not, heroes are blindly bound by their bleeding hearts. If you fall into danger, evil or not, their ecstatic crusade for justice paints their path before them.. And in this case, it will lead them straight to you." He backed away from Jack, keeping his eyes on him. "Too bad, really. The one time you develop a backbone, and it is going to aid in the destruction of those who pity you enough to come to your rescue. In all honesty, you would have been better off remaining the worthless coward you've always been." With that, Chase melted back into the darkness once more. "Bring him out. You can't have a trap without bait."

Jack hung his head in defeat… Shame… Self-loathing… With a sobbing breath, he uttered only one word… A name, the name of the only person who made him feel like he belonged…. "Omi…….."

Chase Young's citadel always had a distinguishable atmosphere to it. It was as though Mother Nature herself shunned it, and any form of light cowered away from it. The summit had a devilish crown of swirling black clouds, a never-ending tempest composed of hatred, coldness, and fathomless darkness. An aura of wrath cloaked its jagged peaks, swallowing all life which entered the vicinity whole. Lightning, red with malice, shattered the sky as thunder rumbled all around like a covert beast waiting to strike.

Omi was the first to dismount from Dojo, staring toward the looming iron door illuminated only by burning torches and the distant flashes of lightning. He flinched as a hand clapped onto his shoulder. It was Kimiko. They made no eye contact, but he knew the contact was for the sole purpose of voicing unsaid support.

Rai gulped and approached the iron door warily, getting into his fighting stance as the heavy door began creaking open by itself. "Be ready for anything," he said, though he barely heard his own words over his heartbeat. He was scared beyond belief, and, even as Clay gave him a reassuring glance as all four of them entered, none of his fear was alleviated.

Kimiko felt herself physically cringe. It felt as though they were being swallowed by some unseen entity, by pure darkness itself. Her hand instinctively rested upon her pouch containing her Arrow Sparrow; she was not going to be caught off guard.

The hairs on Clay's neck were standing on end. He was normally a brave person, ready to take on anything… But this was the first time his gut nagged him to get out of there. His eyes searched the darkness calmly, though he constantly felt as though they were being watched from all around…

Omi halted abruptly, his black eyes searching the room solemnly. "We…. Are not alone here…" Indeed, he'd begun to feel that cold, suffocating presence once more, and his apprentices did as well. They slowly began to huddle close, not one of them leaving their backs exposed to the seemingly enclosing entity of darkness. "Show yourself, serpent… And release Jack Spicer to us immediately…"

There was a hiss in the darkness, followed by haunting laughter. "Well…. It appears that you came after all…" There was a slithering noise and a rush of chilling wind, and the form of Chase Young slipped through the darkness as though it were a curtain. An icy smirk spread across his face as he surveyed the Xiaolin monks; as much as they tried to conceal it, he could sense their fear, practically smell it in the air. He raised a hand and snapped his fingers, and almost instantly, the pale, corpse-like forms of his warriors stepped out of the shadows. He snapped once more, and two more warriors carrying Jack appeared behind him, throwing the red-head rudely at the ground just next to Chase. "Look worm, they came for you."

Omi's eyes flickered with anger as Chase grabbed Jack by the neck and held him up, as if to display him. The crimson eyes mirrored the spirit of one whose will and self-worth had been destroyed. "You shouldn't…. H-Have come…." Jack's voice came almost inaudibly, but even so, the pain in his words was apparent. "I-I'm not…. I'm not worth it…"

"You see? He admits his worthlessness himself. And even so, it is quite admirable of all of you to come and try to rescue this pathetic creature… Hard to believe that, by simply existing as a living embodiment of worthlessness, he has garnered so much sympathy." His grip on Jack's neck tightened, and the broken boy genius only whimpered.

Omi slid a foot forward, glaring daggers at Chase as he slowly moved a hand towards the Eye of Dashi in his pocket. Just listening to Chase's relentless verbal assault was setting him off, but knowing that Jack had to endure this…. "How dare you talk to him like that, after how much he has followed and idolized you…"

"That's the joy of having henchmen," Chase hissed. "I'm not obligated to care about them; they serve me because that is the only thing that gives them purpose. I did not make them expendable; they already were expendable when they came to me. Isn't that right, insect?"

"Let him go," Clay growled vehemently; he was starting to feel more empathy for Jack than he'd initially felt. "He doesn't deserve that."

Chase only chuckled darkly. "Nonsense, my burly friend. With the witch gone, he needs something to cling to; by himself he's nothing and he knows it. No matter what, he returns to me; he is my property now. And… If you wish to separate me from my property… You must persuade me." He snapped his fingers and, all around the Xiaolin monks, hundreds of pairs of eyes glowed and Chase's undead warriors leapt from the shadows.

At once, the air became filled with the symphony of battle. The sky rained with fire as Kimiko launched an Arrow Sparrow assault, bathing the interior of the cave in a warm, red light. Launching himself with a well-calculated Wudai Star-Wind, Raimundo sent himself airborne and scooped up Clay as he soared. The cowboy's Third Arm Sash made short work of the monstrous, soulless warriors as it morphed from simple fabric into a solid, rocky fist. Clay then leapt from Rai's grasp, slamming his Fist of Tebigong into the ground and sending slabs of rock airborne. Rai took the initiative and launched gale force winds from the Sword of Storms. The slabs of earth were swept into the wind, and Rai directed it towards more of Chase's minions. With the wind inhibiting their orientation and the rocks slamming into their bodies, the warriors unfortunate enough to be in their path were knocked unconscious in only moments. Brilliant bolts of lighting shot from the Eye of Dashi as Omi flipped and dodged with the help of the Mantis Flip Coin, every so often making eye contact with Chase, who was only standing by and smirking.

"S-Stop…." Cold reptilian eyes slowly glowered down at Jack, who'd spoken up in a broken voice. The pale boy trembled in his rope binding, struggling to comprehend what this meant… They were fighting for him…. Risking their lives for him… "Ch-Chase…. Make it stop….."

"What's that, worm?" Chase said coldly. "Finally proving to me that you care for those four? Well then…" A fangy smile spread across his face. "It looks like it's my cue to intervene…" He grinned inwardly at the sudden look of worry on Jack's face.

"N-No…. Chase you can't…." Jack cried desperately, but it was too late. Armor began morphing into smooth, ivy green scales. A long, reptilian tail sprang forth from his spine and whipped about wildly as human hands morphed into razor sharp claws. A reptilian hiss filled the air, saliva dripping from a mouth filled to the brim with long, jagged rows of fangs. The Xiaolin monks didn't notice the monster until the soulless warriors backed off into the darkness once more in respect to their master's wish to join the fray.

The dragon hissed again, surveying the Xiaolin monks with a cold glint in his eyes. They were winded, covered in bruises and minor lacerations. "Well well," he growled, slowly making his way around them in his usual stalking method. "This is quite a treat; your destruction is imminent, and you all only have your empathy for that lowly insect over there to blame." His eyes glowed eerily in the darkness as he paced.

"Your words are false," Omi panted, struggling to stay on his feet. "You demean Jack Spicer, but to me, he is important even though he is our enemy."

"You are fools…" The voice came from seemingly all around them, followed by a heartless laugh. "Coming here to save that spineless coward? How do you know he will not turn on you? How do you know this wasn't a set up all along?"

Clay, Rai, and Kimiko cast worried glances at Omi. The young monk's eyes faltered, and he felt a swell of disgust at the idea that Chase had a high probability of being right. "That may be," he began. "And I may be naïve, but I know that Jack can be trustworthy when he wants to be…. And in my heart, I trust him as we speak."

"Very poetic, Omi," Chase hissed, "but eloquent words will not save you from the truth, from deception, or from me."

Jack watched with unbelieving eyes as the massive dragon launched himself at the monks and once more, the fury of battle was unleashed. 'I'm….. I'm important to them….?'

No…

No, there was no way he was worth this….

A blanket of shame seemed to blanket him, suffocate him as the realization of his own cowardice forced itself into his mind. 'Would they….. Have fought for me like this before….. If I hadn't sold them out…?' Shredded cloth and a pained yell filled the air as Clay was stricken by Chase's whip-like tail. However, the cowboy didn't stay down for long and, ignoring his wounds, leapt into battle once more. 'Why…. Why do they do this…?' Rai grunted as he hit the ground, wincing and launching a tempest from the Sword of Storms. The attack barely phased the dragon, who laughed as he reached out and snatched up the startled Brazilian. 'But more importantly…. Why didn't I see they cared before…?' A burst of flames erupted from Kimiko's hands as she launched a Wudai Mars-Fire attack, striking Chase's arm and releasing Rai. The dragon became enraged, swinging back at the two of them with powerful force and sending them flying. 'Why didn't I see…..?' Omi and Chase erupted into a fury of artistic yet deadly martial arts, but Chase's strength continued its supernatural streak as Omi's began to wane. The dragon's eyes flickered as Omi's punch pulled to the left as a result of his fatigue, and with a vicious swipe, he knocked the monk clean across the room.

It was then that Chase turned his eyes toward Jack, and an eerie grin curled upon the reptile's lips.

Jack knew that look.

That animalistic, murderous look.

Jack felt the color leave his face as Chase turned that look upon Omi, who was struggling to get to his feet. 'Omi…..' He glanced at the other warriors. Clay was almost motionless on his side not too far from where Jack lay. Kimiko's arm was clearly dislocated, and Rai, his gi now in shreds, was only a breath away from losing consciousness. Yes, even now, Chase's look burned into all of them, surveying their damage with morbid glee.

'He's going to kill them….' Jack could barely contemplate the words, they scared him so much. No…. No…. He wasn't going to watch this…. He wasn't going to let this happen, not to them… Not to Omi….. "Don't you touch him….." Jack whispered low to himself, struggling to get to his feet even though his body seemed to be working on his own… Chase raised an arm high, his black claws gleaming in the dim light. He held a struggling Omi down with his other arm, that murderous gleam in his eyes still. Jack suddenly felt numb, and suddenly, his body began carrying itself forward.

It was running, running toward the dragon as he prepared to deliver a fatal blow.

Jack heard himself shout something as he flung himself forward, just as Chase's claws came down. It sounded like "Leave him alone!!"

Omi closed his eyes.

So did Jack.


	6. Chapter 6

Crimson droplets flew through the air like liquid marbles, splattering onto the floor after their short aerial dance. The air fell silent, except for a handful of sound effects.

The shallow breathing of the fallen Xiaolin warriors in the distance.

The murr of Chase's breath within his massive ribcage.

The silence itself was thick, almost audible.

Omi slowly opened an eye. He'd seen Chase's claws coming upon him, and the form of Jack rushing toward the two of them… He glanced at his sides… Shredded tendrils of rope lay strewn about like hay on the cold stone ground. He distinctly saw two arms, clad in black and trembling, supporting a body which hovered over him. He could feel labored breath just next to his face, and as he glanced toward where the sound was coming from, he saw soft, feathery red hair. Omi felt his heart stop. "Jack….." The pale face of the boy genius sat a few inches from Omi's, his eyebrows knit together in discomfort. Omi looked at him closer. "But how.." He gasped; the pieces of rope were tainted red with blood… Jack's heli-pack lay in a heap a few feet away from them, cleaved with four distinct claw marks. The cloth around Jack's shoulders was torn, and that only meant one thing….

"So, you shielded him with your own body," Chase hissed, quirking an eyebrow. Blood seeped through the gashes on Jack's back, staining the torn material of his jacket. "How noble of you."

"I won't let you hurt them," Jack whispered, his arms threatening to buckle beneath him. "Not Omi…. Not any of them…." He glared back at Chase. "And if I have to stop you… So be it." He was tired of denying that his connection to the Xiaolin warriors felt more real than his wire-thin, often strained connection to Chase, and though his own words just now frightened him, he knew they were true. These people were his life, and though he'd had a history of only caring for his own… He now knew that they were just as important to him than he ever imagined. He swiftly reached into Omi's pocket, pulling out the first Shen Gong Wu he got his hands on. "Eye of Dashi!" The lightning surged from the jewel, striking Chase square in the chest and knocking him back. The dragon screeched in pain and reeled, its eyes glowing as murderous hatred surged through his veins. "Omi, get out of-" Jack's words were cut off by a pained grunt as Chase's claws connected with his body, sending him tumbling across the ground and out onto the ledge outside. He wheezed, finding that his strength to move was completely nullified by this searing pain in his chest.

Cold rain was pouring from the sky like tears, thunder rumbling in the distance. Wind whipped about the ledge fiercely as lightning provided temporary illumination in the otherwise gloomy darkness… The only sound that Jack was able to focus on, however, was the footsteps….

Slow, concentrated footsteps, and a low hiss.

"You insolent wretch." The cold voice hissed beneath a beastly growl. Jack could see the glowing orange eyes, could hear the haggard breath. "I should have destroyed you when I had the chance…" Thunder rumbled viciously, and hellish lightning illuminated the approaching figure of the seething dragon. The Eye of Dashi was only a few feet away…. But the pain in Jack's ribcage made it feel like miles….

"Star Hanabi, Fire!!" The dragon reeled as its hide was pelted by fireballs, turning its attention from Jack to the mouth of his lair and narrowing his eyes. The Xiaolin monks, despite their injuries, had assembled together, their eyes locked on the beast. Kimiko held the Star Hanabi in her good hand, her eyes burning brilliantly as her hair danced like wildfire in the rebellious winds. "Back away from him."

"I'll deal with you later," Chase growled at Jack, slowly turning to approach the weakened Xiaolin monks. Jack panted weakly; the rain was chilling him down to the bone and his ribcage stung with the slightest movement. He saw the Eye of Dashi out of the corner of his eye, and then shifted his focus to the monks.

'If I don't do something………. He'll……..' Jack narrowed his eyes… Was he really willing to fight as hard for them as they'd fought for him……? He looked at the Eye of Dashi and, in a split second, made his decision. He grabbed the Wu, and then lunged toward Chase, wrapping his arms around the dragon's legs as tightly as he could while biting through his own discomfort. "Now!! Attack him now!"

Chase's eyes flashed with fury, reaching down and yanking Jack off of his leg. "You little fool," he cursed, turning toward the monks. "Attack if you wish…. But are you willing to risk hitting this worthless coward?" Jack's eyes met Omi's, and a quick, unspoken conversation took place that made Omi curse under his breath. But there was something else the boy genius was trying to say to him….. But what…? They were powerless against Chase as long as he had Jack in tow, that was true, but Omi knew those calculating eyes anywhere… "Look at them, insect," Chase's voice hissed in Jack's ear. "Look at their defeat… Soak it in; their desperation, their powerlessness, their grief… They are finished, just like you are… And what's more, they can do nothing about it… Brought to a shameful defeat due to their pity for someone as lowly, someone as pathetic, as worthless as you…" He held Jack up to look him in the eye, but he suddenly noticed a gleam of defiance within those ruby eyes.. Wincing, Jack pulled something out of his pocket… Chase's eyes shot open. "You-"

"Eye of Dashi!!" The boy genius aimed the bolt at the very ledge they were standing on, and as slabs of rock broke away, the ledge began to crack and shift. In only seconds, the ledge fell away due to Chase's weight. At the last minute Jack clasped his hands upon the remains of the ledge, straining between ignoring the pain in his chest and the knowledge that an enraged Chase Young had a death grip on his leg. The dragon was roaring and hissing curses upon him, his weight slowly pulling Jack downwards. With all of his might Jack struggled to hang on; his fingers were numbing from the stinging bite of the icy rain. "A-Ah…" He lurched downwards, now just barely hanging on by his fingertips.

Ruby eyes wandered to Chase. Hatred boiled within the molten amber eyes, the pupils dilated to mere slits of saturated animosity. Fear was beginning to make Jack's blood go cold, especially as his gaze traveled past the enraged dragon to the dark, cold chasm below, seemingly waiting to swallow them whole. He could see thunderclouds below them, further masking the fathomless black that awaited below. He snapped back to focus as he felt hands desperately clasping upon his own, and looked up to see Omi's hand holding onto his own. The monk's face was scrunched up in stress as he struggled to hold onto Jack, as well as hold onto Chase's immense weight. Clay, Raimundo, and Kimiko held onto the young monk firmly, straining to keep their weight back and not let go. "Don't worry, Jack… We've got you…" There was determination within those ink black eyes. "I won't let go… Not even for a second…"

Their eyes met, and Jack suddenly felt a surge of warmth he'd never felt before…. "Omi……." They did care…… Why else would they be straining for his very life like this…? Out on this Godforsaken ledge, in this blinding cold rain….. Against the very entity who had it within his power to kill them all at the slightest whim…? But that before he could voice his gratefulness, he felt Chase's weight suddenly shift. Jack let out a sharp yelp; the dragon's claws dug themselves harshly into his back in a desperate attempt for leverage.

"Jack?!" He heard Rai call worriedly.

Jack let out another cry as all of Chase's weight rested upon the claws in his back… Chase was using him like a ladder, and he was going to get to the Xiaolin monks if….. Jack's eyes darkened, blotting out the pain as best as he could. He only said three words, three words that made all of the color drain from Omi's face. "Let me go."

Omi almost couldn't believe his ears. He looked at Jack, and then at the slowly rising form of Chase Young, and then back at Jack, shaking his head desperately. "No…. N-No, I can't do that! I won't!!"

Razor sharp claws dug themselves into Jack's gut and pulled as the weight shifted once again. Jack sputtered; the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth and trickled out of the corners of his mouth. Omi saw this, looking ready to scream at any moment. "Let me go, Omi."

"Hang on Jack, please!!" Omi practically cried. "I don't want to……" Rai and Clay began desperately pulling, but Chase's rapidly shifting weight made it almost impossible for them to get permanent footholds.

Jack's eyes rolled back into his head; all of Chase's weight seemed to be supported by the clawed hand burrowed harshly in his stomach. More blood came up in a harsh cough, and he could feel Chase's hot breath on his neck…

His eyes darkened more as his gaze locked with Omi's.

"Omi…. Let me go……… Please……." Spicer's voice came weakly, in a tone that sent shock down Omi's spine.

The young monk's eyes shot open; he could feel Jack's grip loosening… Tears spilled down his face. "Hold on….." Chase's head was rearing, but Omi didn't care about that…. It was the look in Jack's eyes that frightened him more… Though they were dim…. They seemed to be apologizing…. Jack was loosening his grip on purpose… That only meant… "Don't…… Please Jack, don't!"

"I'm sorry." It was said with a faint smile upon his pale face, and with one burst of strength, Jack yanked himself away from Omi's grip. He was weightless for a moment, caressed by the cold jets of air swirling around him. He heard a jumble of sounds… The rumble of thunder… The wind whipping past his face… A howl of rage from Chase as the dragon clung to Jack's mauled body….

And….

Omi's scream…

He hated to let it end like this, but a faint smile came upon his face…. Comforted only by the thought of ensuring the safety of his only friends, Jack and Chase plummeted into the abyss below.

"Jack!!" Omi screamed, his body going completely numb. He couldn't believe this… This level of grief was unreal….. As if on cue, an emerald streak shot past them like lightning; it was Dojo, and he was making a beeline after the quickly disappearing forms of Chase and Jack. Not wasting any time, the monks leapt aboard the speeding serpent, holding on tight as he dove into the abysmal darkness at breakneck speed.

Thunder roared around them as gale force winds threatened to rip them off of Dojo's back. Lightning sliced through the clouds all around them..

But Omi didn't budge.

Not one bit.

He stared long and hard forward as they descended, looking for any sign of the person he would not lose, the person he would not give up on….

The person he yearned to call "friend."

There was no way he was going to abandon him, not after finally seeing such a brave act… Jack had put his life on the line for them in this most dire of situations and, bound by his virtue and his heart, Omi was going to save him.


	7. Chapter 7

He couldn't move.

Even if he tried, he couldn't move.

Jack's body seemed to be gripped with burning agony. Every muscle, every limb, every nerve sent shockwaves of pain through his body. He was just barely breathing; wheezing every few seconds in a pathetic attempt to ease cleansing oxygen into his otherwise burning lungs.

Nausea seemed to drown his senses; even now, he felt heavier than lead, and the taste of blood still drowned his tongue. His eyelids threatened to close, but sleep would do nothing to alleviate his pain.

It was freezing, wherever he was. His ears picked up the faint sound of rushing water just below him. He looked around to the best of his ability. Dense fog blanketed the rocky area where he lay, shifting and swirling like a mass of spirits.

But what frightened him was the fact that he did not see Chase… Did he fall further? Jack shuddered inwardly at the thought; he knew Chase wouldn't have died from a fall like this, and if he was still alive as he thought, the dragon would be furious, and at him, no doubt. Then there was the possibility that Chase hadn't fallen…

And that he was possibly on this ledge….

And that he was furious.

He couldn't stay there, not with that possibility sporting such a high probability of being true. 'Have to…. M-Move….' He poured his strength into his trembling arms, letting out a sharp cry. His ribs felt shattered, and he collapsed once more. His stomach was warm… Uncomfortably warm…. It was making him feel ill… He reached a hand down toward it, only to pull it away covered in warm blood. His wound was still bleeding, and moving in any way only agitated it. He swore to himself…

But it was then that a sound caught his ear….

A low, steady hiss…

Fighting against his discomfort, Jack forced himself to his feet, turning to face the direction from which the sound came. He winced, going to one knee and panting heavily… He was trembling, and though it was getting difficult to focus… He could see a large silhouette not too far from him….

"You….." Hatred dripped like poison from a voice just before Jack… The silhouette edged closer, and Jack's blood ran cold as two eyes burned through the fog like torches… Only moments later, Chase Young made his way through the fog, looming over Jack as an aura of malice poured from him. A gloved hand shot out and harshly grabbed the boy genius by the neck, hoisting him into the air. Jack was so paralyzed with fear that he couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't take his eyes away from Chase's no matter how hard he tried. For the first time, Jack saw an anger, a hatred upon Chase's face that trumped any other expression he'd ever worn….

The grip around his neck began constricting, and in a vain effort to alleviate the pressure, his hands desperately clasped upon Chase's. Something gleamed in Chase's eyes as the warrior saw an immense fear in Jack's…

He had to see more.

He was going to make this scrawny, worthless coward pay.

His free hand reached toward Jack's stomach, slowly….. Torturously slowly… The fear in Jack's eyes tripled, and he squirmed in vain.

Closer.

Closer still.

Chase's eyes became illuminated with predatory glee.

It felt as though Omi had been stricken by lightning when he heard the scream. The other monks, even Dojo, felt it too.

It was terrible.

Blood curdling.

Paralyzing.

Using the Mantis Flip Coin, Omi launched himself in that direction. Each landing, each leap was precise; he couldn't afford to fall… Not with that horrid scream still ringing in his ears, in his mind, in his very soul.

He would know that scream anywhere, and at this point, would come from anywhere in the earth to come to his aid….. But the question of "What if I'm too late" nagged him…. Regardless, he was going to get there….

He was going to get to him…..

He was going to help him.

Omi alighted upon a ledge, his keen eyes solemnly searching the fog. "Jack…." Dojo hovered a few feet away, and Clay, Rai, and Kimiko leapt down to join their young friend. Indeed, this entire situation had completely awakened a new sense of respect and empathy for Jack.. After fighting him for so long, none of them had ever seen a shred of backbone in the boy, and even when he allied with them temporarily, the idea of trusting him still left bitter tastes in their mouths…

But this…. This was different…

Of all the people to go up against, Jack had picked the one who could kill him on the faintest whim…. All while practically giving up the mantle of villainy he'd been trying so desperately to create for himself for countless years….

"Any sign of him?" Rai said quietly. He stayed close to his teammates; the fog was making him a bit claustrophobic. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kimiko kneeling down, her eyes wavering as they focused on something on the barely visible ground. "Kimiko, what-"

"Blood." She only spoke the one word, and the already tense situation increased tenfold. There were blots of it everywhere, leading into where the fog became thicker. She almost ventured forth, but Clay's hand clasped upon her shoulder to stop her. The Texan stepped a few inches before her, looking into the fog for himself as a figure slowly became visible.

"Oh my God….." Clay barely spoke above a whisper as Chase Young melted through the velvet curtain of mist, and all fell silent. Blood dripped freely from his left hand, while a motionless Jack dangled from his right.

Omi felt overwhelmed with numbness at the sight. Even in the faint light, a green tinge delicately clung to Jack's face. Sweat coated his face in a thin sheen, his eyes just barely ruby slits. "O-Omi……" Jack's voice cracked, riddled with pain the monks could just barely imagine.

"Let him go…. Now." Omi whispered darkly, his small body trembling with rage. He'd known Jack for so long, seen so many faces…. But this…. This was one he'd never intended on seeing… He could feel himself breaking down on the inside, visibly seething with unimaginable fury.

"In due time, young monk," Chase hissed coyly, though Omi could see the fatigue on that regal, arrogant face. "It appears that we are at a stalemate. All of us are injured, even myself, and it would prove foolish to engage in battle once more, even for this boy." He held Jack forward, as if displaying him. He grinned at the vengeful looks that came upon their faces. "Therefore, I propose a deal, a temporary truce if you will-"

"No deals, you bastard," Rai growled. "Give us Jack, or I swear to God I'll kill you, right here right now." Omi held up a hand for silence, taking a step forward.

"What is the deal you wish to propose?" Omi said.

"Omi, don't be an idiot!" Rai pressed. "Jack's health is on the line here, we don't have time for-"

"Indeed this boy's health is on the line, Raimundo," Chase continued calmly. "But at this point, it is I who hold his health in my hands, as you can see. In a split second, I can disembowel this wretch, or, if you wish to protect him, you can listen instead of engaging in a battle over a dead friend."

Silence.

"We're listening," Omi said. He heard Rai curse under his breath.

"I will withhold any further aggression upon this boy and the four of you from this point on until we have all recovered from our wounds, at best, a couple of weeks," he grinned. "In return, you will transport me, as well as this boy, out of this Godforsaken chasm. After you drop me off, you are free to do with him what you wish, but…. I advise you make your decision soon. His heartbeat is slowing."

"We can't help Chase," Kimiko fumed. "He's the reason why Jack got into that state in the first place!"

"But that monster's got a point," Clay said sadly. "If we don't follow his deal, we'll lose Jack here…" Raimundo only stared vehemently at Chase, softening his gaze as he looked at Omi.

Omi reluctantly nodded. "Very well, we accept." The group silently boarded Dojo, who cast a wicked glance at Chase before speeding up towards the citadel. Omi felt positively sick, both with anger and with helplessness. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the fatigued yet self-appreciating smile on Chase's face, all at the expense of the pale, mangled Jack Spicer who was nestled in Clay's protective arms. Dojo made a pass over the remains of the ledge leading to Chase's lair and the warrior dismounted, casting a horrid smirk at Omi as their eyes met briefly. It was then that Omi realized the truth of his own words: against Chase Young, you always lose. He recalled when he'd joined Chase in the past, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. True, those times he was bound by his warrior's code for the sake of advancing his skills or protecting his friends, but either way, it was hard to look back on those instances and not feel ashamed…

"Omi…….." Jack's voice cracked weakly, and the Xiaolin turned their attention to him.

Omi flinched at the sight. Clay had ripped a part of his own gi to cover the wound and keep pressure on it, but the cloth was soaking up the blood too quickly as more seemed to ooze out. "Don't worry, Spicer….. We're right here," Clay said quietly. "We're gonna get you some medical treatment right away."

"You….. Came back……." His voice was quiet, weak, and wavering…

Omi's eyes softened. "Of course we did…. I would never leave you, Jack…. Not ever."

"That's right," Rai said. "We're gonna take care of you."

Jack's eyelids fluttered slightly; his head swam and he was beginning to feel ill. He let out a few pained coughs, his body slowly relaxing in Clay's arms. "Jack?" Clay asked quietly; he'd noticed how Jack had suddenly grown limp. Shock flushed his face. "Jack….?"

The world before those ruby eyes was dulling, slowly being swallowed by a misty, dream-like shroud of darkness. He could hear the voices calling his name desperately, but he didn't have the strength to answer. They seemed to be getting further and further away, as though the world had given way beneath him. He could feel himself floating away from them. He felt himself smile slightly as a feeling of warmth, of dream-like bliss embraced him, and a stray tear fell down his cheek. "Thank you……"

The voices became quieter.

The world became hazier.

And then….

Blackness.


	8. Chapter 8

Omi sat motionless and silent, his eyes completely focused on the motionless body before him.

He was watching.

Waiting.

Any sign of life, any noise, any flinch, and he would see it.

The hour glass next to him poured its remaining grains into its lower half and, without taking his eyes away from Jack's body, flipped it over to start the process all over again…

For the eleventh time. Eleven hours, he'd sat like this in this tiny, silent room, not moving; just watching and waiting. The time dragged on, though he could recall almost every moment of what led to this.

Eleven hours ago, they'd whisked Jack away from Chase's citadel.

Eleven hours ago, Jack had gone silent.

And now, with eleven hours past, Jack had not made a movement or a sound. At the same time, neither had Omi. Everything prior to this wait had gone by in a flurry of desperation, grief, and fathomless anxiety.

He remembered hearing Clay calling Jack's name frenziedly.

He remembered looking back, seeing the bloody, motionless form.

He remembered the swirling montage of panic and chaos that filled the temple as they'd rushed Jack inside to this room.

But he also remembered the expressions on the faces of Master Fung, Dojo, Clay, Rai, and Kimiko. They reflected what he was feeling inside, but he stubbornly denied what his mind was screaming at him.

'He's not dead,' he chanted to himself.

Dead…

There was no way he'd believe that… There was no way he wanted to believe that… Therefore, he chose not to. Instead he chose this stubborn act of vigilance, uninterrupted by anything or anyone who dared tell him otherwise. He would wait for however long it took for Jack to awaken. He was going to be there for him.

That was what he'd wanted to promise before, countless times, but still deluded by a pipe dream of future villainy, Jack walked away from him. Yet, bound by the inkling in his heart, Omi felt pressed to pursue him, no matter what. In all of their temporary truces in the past, Omi had always wanted to trust Jack, to have faith in him, to call him a friend. Though each betrayal injured him worse and worse, he was still determined to discover and establish the connection to Jack he so desperately sought.

He wanted to give Jack the things that he sought in vain through villainy…. He wanted to give him confidence, support, compassion, friendship, and a place to belong….

'Was he…. Afraid…?' Omi thought to himself, absently flipping the hourglass again. Twelve hours. 'Was he so used to being left alone…. On the outside…?' Omi's eyes faltered. "Jack… What you want is right here… All you have to do is wake up…. And not walk away anymore…."

Jack looked around warily. He was surrounded by a blackness that seemed to be a living, breathing entity. There was no sound, and the fathomless darkness seemed to go on for ages. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small light. He squinted slightly, and slowly began walking toward it. It felt as though he were traveling for miles, days even, but the light was slowly getting closer.

"You are going to walk away from us again?" Jack suddenly felt something pulling on his jacket, and he turned back to see Omi. Jack felt his heart twinge at the look on the young monk's face; those small hands so desperately clenched upon his jacket, and those eyes…….

"Omi… Why are you here…?" Jack asked.

"Please, Jack…. Do not walk away… Not this time.."

"What..?"

"If you walk away this time…. I…. Will never see you again…"

Jack looked at the light, and then back at Omi with softened eyes. "What do you mean, Omi…?"

The young monk lowered his head, and Jack felt a swell of guilt as a tear rolled down Omi's cheek. "Each time you have walked away…. It has hurt me inside Jack… And if you walk away now, you will disappear…. I will miss you."

Jack regarded Omi quietly, and then took a step forward and knelt. The young monk glanced up with tear filled eyes, his eyes locking with Jack's. The boy genius' expression softened, and slowly, he held out a hand to Omi.

He remembered that face.

He remembered those longing eyes.

He wanted him to stay. It had been the same case after they defeated Wuya, and Omi had offered him an apprenticeship for the Xiaolin side… He wanted him to stay then, and he wanted him to stay now.

Omi looked at Jack, and then at his outstretched hand. "Jack…. You…"

Jack smiled faintly. "I'm not going to walk away from you anymore."

Their hands touched, and the blackness began to melt away into a dream-like mist.

Omi looked up as he flipped the hourglass once more.

Fourteen hours, but….

He'd heard a small, faint groan.

After all this time, there was an indication of what he'd staked out for…

Moving slowly so as not to make a sound, Omi knelt closer to Jack, surveying him like a hawk. He held a hand above Jack's mouth, feeling his body seize up in shock as he felt a faint breath warming his palm. He wanted to shout for joy. He wanted to rush out and tell the others… But his body refused to budge; all he could do was stare as life slowly began returning to Jack's injured body. Omi didn't care how long it took for more signs of life to appear; the hourglass had completely slipped his mind…

But Omi's breaking point came…

As soon as those ruby eyes opened….

"…….J-Jack….?" Omi whispered, timidly reaching a hand toward Jack's resting form. Jack regarded him silently through ruby slits, wincing as he raised his own hand, took Omi's, and let it rest slightly upon his chest. "I….. I thought….." Omi closed his eyes, straining to fight back stinging tears and keep his voice from wavering. "I thought…. That you were… I thought that I'd lost you…" Jack shifted and, carefully, he sat up and looked Omi in the eye before wrapping his arms around the young monk as tightly as he could manage. Omi held on just as tightly, and Jack felt a swell of happiness as the young monk began sobbing quietly.

A tear dropped from Jack's eye as well. "You won't lose me, Omi…. Not anymore."


	9. Chapter 9

Hours felt like days, and days felt like weeks. Of course, this was often the case when it came to a slow, arduous recovery. Yet, however slow his recovery felt, Jack was able to do things with his time that he'd never done before.

The atmosphere in the Xiaolin temple held a calming aura of warmth within its silent, ancient halls, greatly conducive to the random hours of sleep Jack succumbed to due to lingering fatigue. He finally felt at peace; lulled by the gentle whisper of serenity into deeply replenishing slumber. When Omi sat near him, watching him rejuvenate, a soft smile would come to his face… This is what it felt like to be cared for. And though Omi practically never left Jack's side, there were a few occasions in which Jack was blessed enough to experience another side of the Xiaolin monks he thought he'd never see.

He remembered waking one afternoon to the delicious smell of peppermint tea, brewed by none other than Kimiko herself. They hadn't exchanged many words, but Jack was appreciative of her company nonetheless. The fiery warrior with blazing eyes seemed to have smouldered into a warm embodiment of kindness. In all, her presence was just as therapeutic as the tea.

Thanks to Raimundo's almost maternal attention, Jack's wounds were inspected and cleaned, and his bandages were changed on a regular basis. Indeed it was quite awkward at first, but one thing Jack discovered about him was that he had an uncanny skill at breaking tension with his wit and infallible charisma. When he noticed that Jack was too sore to laugh, Rai would switch gears and tell him fascinating stories about Brazil. The imagery Rai used in his passionate words seemed to follow Jack into his dreams, while his kind, almost tedious attention made Jack feel stronger by the day.

While he was still a bit weak, Jack's curiosity had led him out of his room and around the surrounding area of the temple. The scenery was positively stunning; birds sang all around them, filling the calm countryside air with their symphonies, blossoms of every size and color sprinkled the brilliant green canopy created by dozens of ancient trees, and fields of shimmering grass rippled like ocean tides in the distance. However, it was Clay's company which made it so enjoyable. Noticing the boy genius was still recovering, Clay took strolls along with him just to keep an eye on him. They slowly came to appreciate each other's company; Jack could feel a protective, caring aura coming from the large Texan, and Clay himself slowly began forming a silent, unsaid bond as he felt the urge to look out for his safety.

All of this had happened days ago and yet, as Jack sat by himself one evening, it was still fresh in his mind as it was in his heart.

And as much as it elated him, this new situation primarily succeeded in tossing dozens of difficult questions at him. He sighed, glancing up at the sky as the sun slowly began disappearing over the regal mountains in the distance. The colors in the sky seemed to represent the state of his mind; a beautiful montage of several faded shades of confusion. Yet, as calm as the evening sky was, his mind was racked with swirling turmoil, questions he didn't know the answers to, and emotions that combated his own preexisting thoughts.

"He's been out there all afternoon," Clay whispered. "Just sitting, and thinking I reckon." He indicated to Jack for Omi, Kimiko, and Rai to see.

"He seems to be feeling better," Kimiko said softly. "That's good and all, but I just wonder what's got him so occupied like this."

"You should go talk to him, Omi," Rai said. "He…. Talks a lot about you, you know. You seem really important to him."

Omi surveyed Jack from afar silently, and then made his way up to where the boy sat, taking a seat next to him. They sat in silence for a while, and Omi turned his attention to the sky. "It's beautiful here." It was Jack who said this, much to Omi's surprise.

The small monk glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. There was a tinge of sadness in Jack's voice that was concerning him. "What troubles you, my friend?"

Another bout of silence.

"All of this, Omi……….. I….. I want to be a part of all of this……."

"Then what stops you?"

More silence.

"I've…….. Devoted my whole life to being a villain, you know that…"

Omi stiffened. "I do."

"You guys are as much an important role in my life than my role as a villain is…. I can't choose one without reluctantly sacrificing the other…."

Omi's eyes lowered, and they sat in silence again. "So what will you do?"

"I don't know…… But until I know………. I can't stay here, Omi. I can't."

Omi couldn't keep his calm visage up any longer. "You cannot go back to-" Jack put a hand over the young monk's mouth, and their eyes met.

"I know that, Omi," Jack sighed, rising to his feet. "But you have to realize something…….. I've always enjoyed being on the other side…. But now that I know what you guys have to offer…. It's making it a difficult choice." He looked away. "But…."

Omi looked up. "But..?"

"I think I know how I want to go from here."

Omi gulped, preparing for the worst. "Yes…?"

Jack turned to him with his trademark smirk. "You and I are rivals from now on."

"Rivals..?" Omi looked thoroughly confused. "I do not understand… Do you not wish to fight with us?"

Jack knelt with a small chuckle. "There's two things I want to protect more than anything, Omi. One, my bad guy persona, and two…." His eyes softened, as did his voice. "More than anything else…. I want to protect and keep the friendship that I've formed with you and the others. You guys… You have no idea how great it feels to be around you… For once I don't feel worthless…. But let's not get mushy. The fact of the matter is, I want to turn our race for the Shen Gong Wu into more of a friendly competition than anything else."

Omi quirked an eyebrow. "What will you do with the Shen Gong Wu? Do you still wish for world conquest?"

"That's a bit old hat to me now," Jack smiled. "I'll do what I do best. I'll study them, document them, and train with them. If this is going to be a friendly competition, I want to finally make you guys work hard for once." Omi looked away, and Jack knelt next to him, clapping a hand onto the monk's shoulder. "Omi.. Don't worry. I want nothing to do with the Heylin side anymore…."

"Train with me."

Jack looked confused. "What?"

"Train with me," Omi pressed. "If you wish to be our rival, it is only fitting that you improve your physical strength as well. That way….. Even if we are rivals…. We will still be able to spend time with you." A smile arose upon his face which Jack returned.

"Done deal." Jack stood and began to walk away, passing the other Xiaolin monks on his way out. "See you guys real soon."

Utterly confused, Rai, Kimiko, and Clay made their way up to Omi, who only watched after the vanishing form of Jack with a smile upon his face. "What was that all about, Omi?" Rai said concernedly. "He's not staying with us?"

"I figured that he would; the guy liked it here so much and finally looked happy," Clay said sadly.

Omi held up his hands. "Friends, friends, do not be concerned…. He does not walk away from us as an enemy now…. He walks beside us now, as a rival."

"So, he's not going back to the Heylin side," Kimiko began, "nor is he joining the Xiaolin side?"

"Exactly," Omi said. "Within him lies potential for both sides. He yearns for the side of good, while he still seems bound by the side of evil… But I saw in his eyes that he is more good than anything else… And I know that he sees it too. If he ever chooses to completely join us, we will be waiting." He closed his eyes. 'Do you hear me, Jack…? I will be waiting… My friend.'

Jack took one last glance at the Xiaolin temple, a smile absently coming to his face. 'Not yet,' he thought to himself. 'But I'll be back, Omi….. Just not yet….'

"You've made a wise decision." Jack froze, completely paralyzed with fear. He could feel the foreboding aura surrounding him, and he turned to see none other than Chase Young standing only a few feet away from him.

Jack narrowed his eyes, taking a step back. "What do you want?"

There wasn't a gleam of hatred in the dragon's eyes now….. It was more a gleam of curiosity…. Of….. Contentment…? Chase approached Jack slowly, keeping his eyes locked on Jack's. "I congratulate you….. After all of this time…. You finally chose the correct side to affiliate yourself with."

Jack backed away again. "I don't understand."

Chase sighed, letting out a low chuckle. "You were never cut out for evil, worm. Quite the opposite, really. I urged you along all this time, trying to get you to realize your mistake. You don't belong on my side, not in the slightest. Wuya knew it, Catnappe knew it, even Hannibal knew it; only you were left out in the cold. Now that you've finally chosen the right side… I can't help but congratulate you on finally using your head."

Jack eyed him curiously. "You mean…… You've been trying to get me to join their side… For all the time that I've known you…?"

Chase nodded.

"…… I'd offer you thanks, but since you almost killed me to prove your point, I'll hold it until a later time."

"Perfectly understandable, Jack. Perfectly understandable."

"… Wait, I know you….. You expect collateral for the stuff you do for people…"

Chase brushed past him. "In this case, Jack, I will refrain. This is something I have wanted for the longest time…. Now that you're on the right side…." He glared back at him acidly. "I won't feel bad about killing you for real, or them for that matter. Protect them well, for now I will pursue them even harder than I have before."

Jack narrowed his eyes. "I will, you can count on that." In an instant, Chase disappeared, leaving only malicious laughter in his wake. Jack finally felt mobility return to his body, and he glanced back at the Xiaolin temple with determined eyes. "Change of plans, Omi……. I'll be your rival……. But I'm going to protect you just as much as you've protected me. In the end…. We really are walking together."

Unable to help himself, Jack let out a semi-evil laugh and ran off into the night.


End file.
